The AfD is once again causing discussions in the parliamentary committee of inquiry into the series of right-wing extremist attacks in Neukölln: While the general participation of the party in the committee was initially criticized, the focus is now on their parliamentary group speakers. This is Robert Eschricht, the incumbent chairman of the Neukölln AfD district association.
Eschricht took over the office in autumn 2019 – around six months after the previously convicted neo-Nazi Tilo P. had vacated his post as an assessor on the board and left the party. Tilo P. is one of the two main suspects in the Neukölln attack series, which the committee is supposed to examine.
There is no evidence of closer ties between P. and Eschricht – according to information from the Tagesspiegel, Eschricht is said to have joined the district association at about the same time as P. left it. It is obvious that there is at least a familiar relationship between the two – especially since several central members of the district association are said to have been in contact with P. at least until autumn last year.
At this point P. was taken into custody because of a racist attack. According to information from the Tagesspiegel, he has relocated to northern Germany since the judgment associated with this case. P. was sentenced to one and a half years in prison on probation in February.
In his role as AfD officer, Eschricht has access to investigation files that have been classified as secret, including those from the police and the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, and he can also take part in the non-public parts of the committee’s meetings. According to information from the Tagesspiegel, however, the parliamentary groups have agreed that the addresses of those affected should not be made known to the committee.
Antonin Brousek, who sits on the investigative committee for the AfD, announced after the first meeting that the party wanted to prove that it had “nothing to do with the right-wing extremist series of attacks”. The AfD has so far left Tagesspiegel inquiries unanswered.
The committee is to examine the investigation into the right-wing extremist series of attacks in Neukölln. The police attribute at least 72 right-wing extremist crimes to the series of attacks since 2013. Those affected themselves speak of at least 157 right-wing extremist crimes since 2009. Most of those affected were people who are active against right-wing extremism.
The committee of inquiry into the series of right-wing extremist attacks in Neukölln is currently on its summer break after two meetings; the next meeting will take place on September 2nd. Then those affected by the attacks will be interviewed for the first time. The trial against the two main suspects, Tilo P. and Sebastian T, starts just a few days beforehand.
